the italian girl

9 years old!

I can't believe she's already nine!! My Maddalena, or Nena, or Pucci.. is growing up really fast! It seems yesterday when I had to hold her on her tummy...like a monkey on a branch... or else she would scream! I'm so happy to see that she grew up in a sweet little girl who likes everything pink and glittery, who loves to play with her brother and sister and takes care of her little baby brother (she's the second mommy!).  I had fun cooking all morning to make this day even more special. 

These are the pictures of my pink cup-cakes and the birthday cake! ♥

Cupcakes time!

Last week we stopped by at some friends' house and they served us fresh, delicious smelling cupcakes, just came out of the oven! For the whole week I could never find the time to make some with my children...until today! And we had a lot of fun..

I don't like to use mixes for cakes, I consider them fake. A cake, or a cupcake, or anything else that I eat has to be made from scratch, with real ingredients. I'm not very familiar with cupcakes, so I went online and I found out that Martha Stewart has a big selection of really good recipes. I picked the vanilla cupcakes, very easy. The kids helped me with the ingredients, measuring, pouring, cracking eggs... they loved it! Once we poured them in their liners and put them in the oven, we started to make the super delicious frosting. I found the recipe on the Food Network web-site, a super creamy and fluffy cream-cheese frosting. We decorated our cupcakes with colorful sprinkles and ate them when they were still warm.. with the frosting melting through the fingers! So yummi!!!

I took some pictures during the preparation. We really had a beautiful day, moments that I will always cherish in my heart.

 

Granny Squares.

I have to say I'm very proud of myself for having finally learned how to crochet Granny Squares!! I've always loved them, since I was little. They make me think of the nuns I used to visit every summer in the "Sacred Heart Convent" in Florence. My great-aunt Eleonora was the Mother Superior at the time. All the nuns were always so full of attentions, so lively and happy. Me and my little sister had the privilege to often sleep in the Convent, in the old infirmary. Every morning we would wake up with a little gift waiting for us on our night-stand. They could do so many beautiful things, one of these were the nice big blankets made of colorful granny squares... how many sweet memories I have. 

So, thinking of my sweet Florentine nuns (and thanks to the help of my husband, who found a link on you-tube where they teach you how to crochet granny squares), I made a new purse! I think it came out pretty cute and it's now for sale in my shop.  

An angel from Heaven.

Today, on the Feast of the Archangels, I decided to translate a beautiful and touching article written by my little sister on her youngest child.. a beautiful angel. Enjoy!!♥

A marvellous gift from Heaven.. (to those who don't believe that Love always wins).

When, after a travailed emergency delivery, the doctors told me that my child, my third child, was affected by Down Syndrome, I felt submerged for a second by a wave of astonishment and trepidation. Would I be able to take care of my baby? Then a smile pervaded my face just thinking about his smile.
All of a sudden he was laying on my chest, heart to heart. A disarming tenderness. An immense joy overtook me. He was my son.
They say he's going to suffer. Instead, he already knows what it is to be happy, more than anybody else. They say that he will be a problem for me and my husband, instead he is and will always be the joy of our family. They say that he will not be considered, instead there's not a day in which he doesn't receive love from those around him. During the pregnancy, we intentionally didn't take any genetic exams, sure that any child would be a gift from Heaven. And so it was.

I will never understand how is it possible that a mother today could renounce to a child like this, flesh of her flesh, only because of fear. Flesh of her flesh. And it unfortunately happens, many, too many times. The doctors told me that if they wouldn't have performed an emergency delivery, five more minutes would have been enough to lose him and now he wouldn't be here with me. The simple idea gives me shivers. Nothing could be compared to his presence in my life and in my family. I tell every mom: don't be afraid! it's beautiful also in this way! 

And I look at him, tight in my arms, while he observes me with his eyes so round, deep and full of love. Him, so innocent and with no malice. An angel. He looks at me, he smiles, and a thrill crosses my heart. I am happy. I have on my bosom a sweet baby who needs care and love, but who transmits love first. I just need to look at him and any anxiety or suffering vanishes in front of the sweetness of his look.

Thank you and again thank you for Domenico. A marvellous gift from Heaven.

Fig Jam.

Today is the first day of Fall and I decided to spend it cooking a delicious Marmellata di Fichi... which is simply a fig jam. I love figs. I grew up climbing on fig trees, in their beautifully contorted branches, among their big green leaves. The fruit is so sweet and perfect that I believe was the one that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden... I'm very blessed to have 3 trees in my garden; one of them is very big and old, it makes many many figs every year. Today was the first time I thought of making a jam. It came out really good, I will use it to fill a crostata (an italian tart)... I can't wait to eat it!

It's very easy to make this recipe! I just used:

• 2 lbs. of fresh FIGS
• 2 cups of WATER
• 2 cups of SUGAR
• 1 pinch of CINNAMON

In a pot, melt the sugar in the water. Peel the figs, add them in the pot with the sweet water. Add the pinch of cinnamon (just a little pinch... not to cover the deliciousness of the figs). Cook over low heat, stirring once in a while. During the cooking time clean up the foam and extra seeds with a spoon. It will be ready in 2 to 3 hours. If you are not going to use it right away, you can put it in jars as you would do with any preserve.

Your best friend calls you and tells you he/she's really sick? How do you show you care?

I would go cook for her, clean her house and take care of her babies. :)

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From my Kitchen

Today I decided to cook one of my favorite type of pasta: Pasta e Cavoli, or Pasta with Cauliflowers. It's especially made in the South of Italy, where I come from. I will share my recipe with you! All you need is:

•  a box of short cut italian pasta (Barilla is the best among the ones you can find in the States)
• 2 packages of frozen cauliflowers
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
• parmigiano reggiano (italian parmesan cheese)

In a big pasta pot full of warm water, put the 2 packages of still frozen cauliflowers. Add 3 handsfull of salt. As soon as it starts boiling, put the pasta in and let it cook together with the cauliflowers for as long as required to obtain an "al dente" pasta. When cooked, drain the whole thing in a big colander.

In the meantime, quickly put a few splashes of extra-virgin olive oil in the pot, still over the lit burner. Add the garlic, finely minced, saute' until golden. Add the pasta in the hot oil, add 2 handsfull of parmigiano reggiano and a little black pepper, stir energetically.

Serve right away. Sprinkle some more parmigiano on top and enjoy!! (it will serve 4 to 5 people).

Oh, and yes.. italian people eat pasta everyday.

A Cozy Mug

Yes! I'm back in my shop with a new collection...after having made bags, purses, pouches, sewing-kits and even hair-pins... it's now time to present "A BUG ON A MUG"!

My very good friend and talented jewel maker beadsoul suggested for me to try something new, that's how I started to crochet cute (I hope you think the same) cozy mugs. A "cozy" is a handcrafted (knitted or crocheted) pocket or small wrap that will decorate your mug as well as keep your coffe or tea warm for a longer time. I saw many shops on etsy.com that sell and make cozies: the two shops that inspired me the most are natalya1905, whom I am a big fan and I don't know if I'll ever reach her level of master, and KnitStorm, another talented artisan who, through her cozies, brings to your mug color and humor.

My collection is probably much more simple. I wanted to invent something new, which is always very difficult, and as I'm always in contact with all kinds of bugs (thanks to my two boys...), I suddenly thought of the rhyme between bug & mug..! And this is how I started to create my bugs on a mug.  I'm just at the beginning.. so far I made two (almost three!). I have many more in my head.

I just hope to sell them someday, it would make me happy to know that somebody out there is enjoying a warm coffee with my cozy wrapped around her mug. :)

 

Easter Candle

Easter is very near and like every year since we moved to our mission in California, we need a Paschal Candle (to use in our solemn Easter celebrations).

I remember last year, when we decided to make our own at the last second, and I spent two hours in the the silence of the night to paint it. I could only draw and paint the face of a Risen Christ. It came out ok...but not as I would have liked it to be. It still had its purpose and was used many times.

This year, me and my husband, having no money because of lack of job, couldn't afford to buy a blank brand new candle... so we decided to make our own! We melted the candle from last year plus 3 or 4 extra smaller white candles. We used a big plumbing pipe as a mold, fixed the wick inside and poured the melted wax in it little by little. It has been an exciting job! Especially when we saw the results...it came out GREAT!! Much better than the one we bought last year!  

So, the next step was the painting job...which I did. I was hoping to be able to do it calmly this time, but that didn't happen. I spent almost a whole night painting.. I did a more complicate drawing and I decided to cover te candle with gold leaf (the imitation gold..). For the Cross I followed the instructions of the italian iconographer Angelo Vaccarella; I used acrilic colors. Again it didn't come out as good as I had imagined it, I don't have the precision and the patience of an iconographer, but I'm happy with my candle. I'll wait for next year and see what I will be able to accomplish....always in God's will.

 

 
 

crocheting sewing crocheting...

Yes... this is what I've been doing in the last 2 weeks...crocheting and a little sewing. My new little shop on Etsy is keeping me even busier than I was before! But it's a good busy. I'm doing something I really love and even if so far I haven't sold much, it's a satisfaction knowing that anybody can just look at my items and hopefully appreciate them. Of course I have the support of my husband, my  whole family and many friends.. that helps a lot.

Today it's a beautiful Sunday and right now I'm listening to the laughter of my children. So beautiful. All my work is inspired to them. Yesterday my oldest one was helping me assemble my new creation.. my second "children sewing kit"! This time I used a Hello Kitty fabric that I bought on Etsy. I think it came out pretty cute! :) Well, my daughters love it! 

 

 
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